Return to Me
by Dawnrider
Summary: A human night goes wrong for Inuyasha and the gang. Another crisis arises as Kagome is met with the possibility of Inuyasha never again knowing who she is. CW: Traumatic brain injury/head injury, minor violence
1. Part One: Return to Me

Alright kids, pull up your britches and gird your loins! This one is a doozy in length.

Lime content, nothing explicit. CW: Head injury, minor violence

There will be a second part, just not yet. -_-

They were surrounded. They couldn't see them yet, but the growling was everywhere. Even he couldn't defend against so many without the full use of his strength. The predatory look in their eyes promised there would be no mercy. With their small group, running had been the safest option. They didn't have the advantage of numbers or even enough weapons to defend themselves. Now they were cornered and his mind was still too sluggish to come up with a proper plan. Now there was nowhere left to run.

Colliding with his chest, she shook in fear. She had been so brave up until now, but she was at her breaking point. Almost immediately she noticed that his arms didn't come around her to keep her from falling like he usually would. "I-I'm sorry, I don't..." Her heart stuttered in her chest, but she took a step back, staring at his chin. She couldn't handle seeing how his eyes didn't recognize her, how there was no affection or concern shining in them. For a breath, his fingers reached for her at the edge of her vision. She caught his gaze, hope in hers, and only saw horror.

Pain lanced across her back and shoulder and then she was gone.

"No!" But it was too late. He snarled at the beast who was preparing to sink its fangs into her neck. "No," he growled again. He dove for it, knocking it back while he crouched protectively over her fallen form. He slipped the sword from his hip and placed it over her chest, instinct telling him it was the only thing that might save the kind young woman who seemed to know him. Who seemed to love him. He might not remember her, but she didn't deserve to die like this.

It returned, thinking he was weak and could be easily made another victim. Fury built in his chest at the way they all looked at him, at his companions. They were a meal. He launched himself at the beast again, this time knocking its head into the ground and slamming a rock into its temple. It yelped in pain and didn't rise when he jumped back to defend the girl on the ground. His heart raced in his chest, a pulsing in his head as it fought to become clearer. His body shook off the weakness of the last few hours and he stood at his full height.

"Stay the hell away from her!" he growled. He heard the other male in their little band give a battle cry, his staff whistling as he spun it through the air. Another yelp almost drew his attention away from his next opponent, circling him and the one he sought to protect.

A more feminine yell did startle him enough to look up as a new beast carried a woman toward them, a huge weapon spinning in her hand as she prepared to release it. He wasn't sure who she was aiming at and acted accordingly. He swept the unconscious woman into his arms, along with his sword, and watched her take out the remaining three of their attackers in one go. Relief flooded him that she was on their side. "Inuyasha! Why aren't you…"

"Sango, he doesn't remember who he is. Who we are," the other male explained. He vaguely realized they were talking about him.

"Kagome-chan…" the other woman whispered as she approached him, her brown eyes filled with concern. Without knowing why, he growled at her. She would take the young woman from him. Even if he couldn't remember her, he didn't want her out of his sight, out of his immediate reach. She crouched down to be at his level, trying to be non threatening and gain his trust. "Inuyasha, you need to let me look at her, see how badly she's hurt."

"Sword will protect her."

The woman blinked. "Normally, yes, it does. But only as a weapon and only because _you_ want to protect her." That confused him too. Everything was confusing. "Please, let me see Kagome so I can help her," she pleaded. He hesitated another moment before gently unfolding his arms and settling her on the ground. The woman quickly set about checking to make sure she was breathing and then looked at the wound on her back. It was pretty nasty, but it was not as deep as they had feared. "Can you please get me her bag so I can get this clean and bandaged?" Again he hesitated, not wanting to leave the young woman's side. With another look, he nodded and jumped over to where a large yellow bag lay in the dirt.

With practiced hands, she cleaned Kagome's wound and winced when she saw it would need to be stitched. Sango waved Miroku over and carefully explained that she would need him to hold their friend still while she did the stitches so it wouldn't scar horribly. "I will do my best." His face was grim. They had no way to numb the pain in their circumstances and the wound needed to be sealed as soon as possible.

"No. I… let me? My fault."

"Inuyasha…" He shook his head at the name they insisted on calling him despite it not sounding familiar at all.

"She was trying to help me. Let me… I just…" On top of his missing memories, his words seemed to be escaping him as well. He couldn't always come up with the ones he wanted. At least he could get some of them out now. The woman nodded softly, her hand going to his shoulder in a comforting gesture. He bit his lip and gently pulled the young woman into his lap, tucking her arms in against his chest and holding her hair out of the way. The scent of her blood right under his nose made him gulp back a wave of nausea. Not because the scent of blood sickened him, per se, but because _hers_ did for some reason. _She shouldn't bleed. Not like this. Ever._ His determination returned and he held her small frame closer as Sango prepared the needle and thread. She took a deep breath to still her hands and started.

"Hold her still," she reminded him.

He flinched when she did, her whimpers tearing at him in a way he hadn't anticipated. "Kagome," he whispered without knowing why. "I got you. Almost over," he told her. She tried to shift out of his embrace with a cry, forcing him to squeeze her closer. "I got you," he whispered again.

"Inuyasha," she whined. "Inuyasha, it hurts."

"I know. I know. Almost over," he repeated. His eyes felt hot and that was new. Her tears soaking into his kosode made him wince which caused moisture to fall from his eyes. He was crying. Crying for her. _Who is she? It makes me hurt that she's hurting!_ Sango was able to tie off the final stitch and smeared some kind of strong-smelling cream over all of it before putting a wide bandage on. "There. See? All done," he crooned into her hair, still cradling her close as she sobbed tiredly into his chest. "All done, Kagome. It's ok." As she slowly drifted back into unconsciousness, he continued to hold her and whisper softly to soothe her. The other two stood back, whispering amongst themselves while he was focused on his charge.

"What the hell is going on, Houshi-sama? What do you mean he doesn't know us?!"

"When we got separated by those oni last night, he got hit in the head. Bad." He took a fortifying breath as he recalled the sight of their hanyou-turned-human companion very early that morning. "Sango, if it hadn't been so close to sunrise, I don't know that he would have lived." She gasped slightly. She had seen what a severe blow to the head could do. If the person was not killed on impact, they might suffer days before passing or be left addled for life. Inuyasha seemed to be falling into the last category. "He's slowly getting better. At first, even after his youki returned, he wouldn't wake and Kagome said he was in something called a 'coma.' Then when he did wake, he was speaking in such a way that I would not have thought it language at all. Kagome explained that the parts of his brain that control language and speech were obviously injured." Miroku would have been skeptical if he hadn't looked through one of Kagome's anatomy books once, seeing that in the future they knew far more about the human brain than he would ever believe possible. _And yet Kagome said there is still so much that they do not know, even in her time._ "As he seemed to be healing so quickly otherwise, progressing out of the coma and eventually making some sense, we thought he would return to normal by now. But his memories are not returning. He doesn't know who he is, who we are and he barely understands his own powers. He cannot transform Tetsusaiga, no sankon tessou, no hijin kessou. Nothing. It's almost like he doesn't know he's hanyou at all."

They glanced over to find the pair still curled up against a tree where they'd left them, though it looked like Inuyasha had also fallen asleep. "So he doesn't even know Kagome-chan?" The monk shook his head. "Even if his mind does not, his heart seems to."

"Aa. He has been wary of her most of the day, but when she was attacked by that wolf… He leapt into action, even without knowing his true strength."

"Part of him still recognizes that Tetsusaiga is for protecting her," she murmured. "We need to get them both back to the village. It's safer there with her injured and him…" The slayer shook her head in dismay. "They were just getting closer too."

"You noticed as well?" Sango flashed him a droll look. "Ah, 'girl talk' then." They watched the sleeping pair a moment more before sighing in unison and going about making camp for the night. "Hopefully he'll be better by tomorrow. Maybe the rest will do him good."

Inuyasha was only half asleep. He had begun to understand that it was, in fact, his name. Hearing Kagome call it out in her pain had rung in his ears until it felt like it was vibrating his skull. His name was Inuyasha. The woman he held was Kagome. Her scent was familiar, known, in a way the others' were not. They too hinted at being close to him, people he interacted with often, but their scents didn't cause him to feel things the way hers did. Her pain was acrid and burned his nostrils, her fear had almost been worse. Now, she was warm and asleep in his embrace. A place in which, down to his very bones, he felt she belonged.

Yet he couldn't remember her. He only knew her name because he'd heard the others call her that repeatedly. He had only just started to connect "Miroku" with the male and "Sango" with the female who had fixed Kagome. Her companion beast was called Kirara and was a… a cat of some kind. The words were coming easier, but he still couldn't find them on command like he knew he should. He partially overheard the others talking about what had happened to him. He didn't remember getting hit, but he also barely remembered waking up this morning aside from the splitting ache in his skull and the ringing in his ears. Now that he knew something had happened to his head, a lot of his confusion made more sense. Thinking too much was almost painful and trying to remember the people around him was exhausting. He did fall asleep then, curled around Kagome, his nose in her hair.

Fire seemed to be licking the back of her shoulders. Kagome wriggled and writhed, trying to move away from it. She whimpered when she couldn't budge. It hurt and it wouldn't stop. "Inuyasha," she called out. "Inuyasha, it hurts."

She could feel the rumble of his voice but couldn't hear his words. His tone was soothing but pained. He didn't like that she had to endure this. "All done, Kagome. It's ok." She pressed into his warmth around her as something cool was applied to the burn on her back. She couldn't help sobbing, in relief that the intensity had waned, and in continued pain. She couldn't remember what had happened in that exact moment, but she knew that Inuyasha had her. For the time being, that was enough.

Sometime later, she could hear the crackle of a fire, but there was no immediate pain associated with it. Eventually she understood that the fire she heard was real while the burning she had felt earlier was not fire related at all. She slowly recalled the mad dash through the woods with the pack of wolves tight on their heels. Inuyasha had been baffled by the animals chasing them, unable to identify them and unable to do anything against them without understanding of his youkai strength. Kagome frowned. Inuyasha couldn't remember how to use his youki to defend himself. He couldn't transform the Tetsusaiga to protect any of them. His instincts hadn't kicked in at all. She was honestly a little surprised to find she was still alive.

"You awake?"

She jumped at how close his voice was, hissing in pain when that pulled her wound. "Definitely am now," she murmured. Slowly, to minimize the discomfort it caused, she turned her head to find Inuyasha's face so close she could almost kiss him. Tempting as that was, she knew that was a terrible idea. He would be confused and uncomfortable in normal circumstances, now it would be far worse. It took her another moment to fully comprehend their position. He was holding her, his suikan sleeves draped around her to keep her warm. Was it possible he… "Inuyasha?"

"I guess? I'm still not sure…" His eyes closed a moment as his brow furrowed in concentration. "I'm not like you," he murmured. There was a sadness in his voice that tugged at her heart. He had felt "normal" for a while, just human. Obviously he'd started to understand that his senses, his strength, were different than hers. As if to emphasize the point, the tips of his claws gently skimmed her scalp as he ran his fingers through her hair. "Am I a beast, like those… the wolves?"

Kagome gasped softly at his question. "No. No, Inuyasha, you are not a beast. You're hanyou. Half human, half youkai. You're the best of both. Strong, resilient, and fast from your youkai side and brave, protective and caring from your human." His fingers paused their movement as he studied her face. "You used to want to be one or the other, but I think you've started to like who you are."

"You know me. We're…" He struggled to come up with a word that fit his mental image. "Mates?" Her eyes shuttered and his nose was hit by the very unpleasant scent of her pain. This pain was different than earlier, though, this was deep pain. He rumbled to soothe it without understanding what he'd said to hurt her. "I upset you."

"No, Inuyasha, it's not your fault." She took a calming breath before she could continue. "We are not mates. We have traveled together on a mission for a long time now. Almost a year. We are friends."

"That doesn't feel… right. The others, they are friends. I know their scents, but not like yours. It's like it's part of me." Kagome was awed by the insight this gave her. His instincts at least thought of her as something more than a friend. Things had been slowly heading in that direction, but she knew there was still a long way to go before she could have even the tiniest hope of becoming his mate. She could see him trying to find a memory that would make it clearer. "This… I remember this," he breathed. Kagome was stunned when his lips, already so close, pressed against her own. She felt her cheeks heat but couldn't pull away.

Instinct seemed to take over and he pulled her into him with a growl. This felt right. This felt real. Her scent flared to life in his nose, heat and something earthy tickling his senses. _Yes. This is what I want with Kagome._ The thought accompanied another rumble, this time in approval as she responded with a faint whimper. She shifted in his lap to get closer, her hands clutching the shoulders of his suikan. Her want met his, causing a surge of heat in his belly. He felt the warmth of her body rise to match his, her thighs around his hips. His kiss intensified before he felt something rise in his blood. Kagome jumped. "Inuyasha, your youki…" She paused as she took in his face. "Inuyasha?"

"What?" His voice sounded a little different, but his mind was becoming less clouded. He remembered that kiss more clearly. He'd been a soulless monster then, Kagome calling him back with her lips, her heart. Her words of acceptance, of love, whispered in the back of his mind. "Kagome, we must be mates. Only mates would kiss like that. You… you brought me back."

A rough sob made him cringe. "You remember Kaguya's castle. I didn't know how else to show you that you belonged with us, as a hanyou." Her fingertips traced his cheeks and he realized she was outlining the stripes there that signaled the start of his transformation. He moved to push her away, to protect her, but he was caught by her mouth instead. He could taste the salt of her tears on her lips as they moved against his. He felt the desperation in her kiss, so like that one he now remembered, but for a very different reason. She froze suddenly with a pained whimper, as if the last thing she wanted to do was stop kissing him. "But your heart… it belongs to someone else," she whispered after she'd pulled away just far enough to let them both breathe. "I've always known that. You were going to become human to be her husband, a long time ago."

His blood rose further to reject her words. He snarled. "No. Why would I become something different when I am stronger like this? Or a mindless beast? That doesn't make any sense." Kagome's smile was sad.

"Because you love her." She reached up and gently touched his ears, his eyes falling closed and a contented almost-purr taking residence in his chest. He liked when she touched his ears. "You wanted to be youkai to protect yourself and you wanted to be human to be accepted, to belong somewhere. You never had a chance to have both at the same time before."

"Now I do. You accept me. You trust me. You all rely on my strength."

"Yes," she replied simply.

"You love me." Her tears started all over again. "Why does that make you sad? And scared?" He ducked his head to try to see into her eyes. Something about this felt familiar, but he couldn't recall ever having this conversation with her. His thoughts felt unfiltered, as though he needed to say anything that popped into his head. "Why won't you look at me?" The feeling of frustration and self loathing as he asked it seemed very familiar.

"I told you. Your heart belongs to someone else. I accept that."

"I don't." He pressed her hand to his chest where he could feel his heart pounding. Her eyes popped open and took him in with surprise and confusion. "If it belonged to someone else, would it do this with you?" His eyes searched hers. She almost seemed more upset.

Kagome fought back the sobs that choked her, eyes squeezed shut to hold back the moisture gathering there. "You don't remember her right now. I'm the only one you've seen, that you recognize, even if only a little." She struggled against his hold to leave his lap. She couldn't let this continue. She needed to hand him Tetsusaiga and get one of the others to sit with him. Her heart couldn't take this conversation any longer.

"Kagome. Stop wiggling, Wench. You'll open up that wound." The familiar "nickname" coming from his lips startled her into stillness. Brown eyes blinked open to stare at him. He was still flirting with his youkai transformation. "I… I don't remember everything, but I do know you." His eyes were fierce, tinged with red, irises turning turquoise instead of amber. While part of her knew she should feel fear at his continued state, there was none, only hope that he was coming out of the fog of the last twenty-four hours. _His youkai blood must be healing his brain faster. He's remembering more._ Kagome was stunned once again when he leaned into her to deeply sniff her scent, nose tracing her shoulder. She felt his fangs against the curve of her neck. "You want me. I can taste it," he growled. She whimpered, somewhere between desire and embarrassment. "I can feel it," he continued, his hips rocking into hers. A gasp left her lips at the heat that flooded her system. "Why would I want to be with Kikyo, when I have you? When I have this?" He punctuated his question with a nip to her throat followed by the wet warmth of his tongue. It didn't occur to her right away that he'd remembered the undead miko's name without her help.

Breathless, she whispered, "Inuyasha."

"Kagome," he replied with a smirk in his voice. Again his hips ground upward, a mutual groan echoing between them. She felt a pulse as his youki rose once more. His body moved against hers with greater intent for barely a moment before he stiffened. His youki dropped to a normal level and Kagome blinked as his teeth lightly clamped down on her neck only to disappear a moment later. She heard a whimper, a whine of pain. "Kagome?" _There_ was the recognition in his voice she'd been missing all day. True consciousness of who she was and who he was. Knowing what was coming next didn't make it hurt any less. He set her on the ground and bolted to his feet, ready to dart into a tree. The only thing that stopped him was the small hand that clung to his suikan sleeve.

"Please don't run away. I-I'm sorry. You can forget it ever happened," she whispered to him, "but please, don't go."

"Kagome." Her dark eyes lifted as far as his chin, filled with tears. His nose was assaulted with her fear, her pain, her embarrassment. His chest felt tight at how she wouldn't look him in the eye. Dropping into a crouch, he gently wiped her eyes with the corner of his sleeve. "C'mon, don't cry. You know I hate that." She chuckled, but the sound was thin. "I-I really fucked up, didn't I?"

"I knew you didn't remember." She sucked in a shaky breath and sighed. "Brain injuries can make you uninhibited, acting on impulses you typically wouldn't. I-I took advantage of that."

"Keh. You didn't take advantage of anything." He hung his head, ears drooping. His hand went to his forehead at the ache that was so persistent he'd almost gotten used to it. "Still hurts and thinking takes way more effort than it should."

"It's a miracle you can think at all. You almost died, Inuyasha. If it had been any further from sunrise, you would have."

"Damned human night," he grumbled. He glanced up at her, seeing the discomfort on her face. Her wound was pulling. "Let me see it," he whispered. Kagome only nodded, still unable to look him in the eye. He circled around her to check the bandage. Only a little bit of new blood. It was pretty gruesome under there though. A claw had ripped her open for almost the span of his hand. "Kagome, I'm sorry. I let this…"

"It's not your fault." She seemed to be telling him that a lot today. "I was too focused on you and turned my back on it. It was my mistake."

"I'm supposed to protect you," he reminded her. "That's my job." Kagome laughed mirthlessly. His job. An obligation. He cared about her as a close friend, a compatriot, part of the team. But she was a responsibility. A burden. She knew that. She had let herself forget it for a little bit there and now it was hitting her all the harder. "Don't do that, onna. It makes me feel like sneezing." She looked up at him in confusion. "When you get all depressed and down. Smells like that curry shit."

Kagome couldn't help laughing a little. His sense of smell always amazed her. The fact that he equated her melancholy with a potent spice he hated made her smile a little. Even if he didn't love her, he didn't like for her to be upset. "Sorry. I just hate being such a burden to you all. I can help against youkai, but normal animals, humans? I'm useless." He tsked at her before gathering her into his lap and settling back against the tree. She was speechless. After trying to get as far away from her as he could earlier, now he was willing to embrace her again?

"It's ok to rely on us. We rely on you for different things. You keep us going, you patch us up, and you see the shards. You can rip a hole through that bastard Naraku's ass. You're not useless." She blushed faintly and found herself relaxing against him despite her earlier determination to let him be. "You're smart. You knew what was going on with my head. You didn't give up on me even when my brain was scrambled."

"Inuyasha…"

"I'm serious. Most people would have left me to die. They would have assumed I was dead already or that I'd never wake up."

"I had to believe you'd wake up." She clutched the fabric of his firerat closer to her chin, burying her face in his kosode. "I don't know what I... we'd do without you."

Her correction did not go unnoticed. "Kagome," he whispered into her hair, "I dunno what I'd do without you." She nuzzled his sternum in response, but said nothing. The moment was too precious to interrupt with words. The pair drifted off again, Kagome emotionally exhausted and Inuyasha beyond mentally exhausted. He didn't like the idea of sleeping in the open on the ground like this, but his brain didn't give him much choice.

Sunlight and the scent of food cooking on the fire roused him sometime later. It was still difficult to get his thoughts in order, but he was pretty sure he remembered everything. With a blush on his cheeks, he peeked over Kagome's head at the slayer and monk who sat near the fire, acting as though him curled around a sleeping Kagome was completely normal. He prayed to whatever kami might be listening that they hadn't heard them last night and silently thanked them for not jumping all over them about it. Inuyasha took stock of his senses, his body. He felt normal enough, but he couldn't help being frustrated by how slow his brain still was. Kagome had tried to explain how lucky he was to be alive, let alone thinking, but he had never felt so disorganized before. His sense of smell kept distracting him from completing a thought and his ears were flicking toward every sound. Focusing was difficult to say the least.

"Breakfast is ready, whenever you're ready to get up," Sango said softly. He glanced up at her and noted the searching look on her face. She was trying to gauge if he was as jumpy as yesterday. He only nodded in acknowledgement. "Can I check her wound, since she's still sleeping?" Another silent nod. She approached slowly, clearly unsure how willing to trust her he was. He lowered his arm some so his firerat sleeve no longer covered Kagome's upper back and allowed Sango to gently peel back the bandage. Kagome shifted slightly but remained asleep. "It looks alright for now. You did well to keep her still all night." He grunted.

"Thanks for taking care of it, Sango," he rumbled quietly.

Her eyes widened slightly. "You started to remember?"

"Keh." He fought down the urge to fidget. "I remember everything. Just can't get my brain to cooperate some of the time." _Or most of the time._ But she didn't need to know that.

"I am sorry we got separated. I would have…"

"Ain't your fault," he interrupted her. "If Kagome won't let me blame myself, you don't get to either." Sango's mouth curled in a half smile. "Sango, we should go back."

"As soon as you're both ready, we're heading straight back to Kaede-sama's. Kagome can't use her bow like this and you need to recuperate." She knew he understood the gravity of his injury when he didn't argue about needing rest. "We're glad to have you back, Inuyasha," she said as she stood and went back to the fire.

Their travel throughout the day was slower than he would have liked. But he understood that, while Kirara could fly decently fast while carrying two, adding a third human would be a bit much. They were all hesitant to let him carry Kagome going his normal pace when his reaction time was still delayed. At any rate, Kagome couldn't hang onto him for that long without her stitches pulling. They made decent time, considering, but they had to stop to camp that night again, too far for them to make it in the encroaching dark. Sango had Kagome step aside with her so she could check her wound more thoroughly as the men got a fire started. Luckily they had enough ninja food in Kagome's bag that they didn't have to hunt or fish that night because Inuyasha wasn't sure he'd be very useful yet. By the time they had all eaten and settled down, his eyes were drooping in an uncharacteristic show of exhaustion.

"You haven't been getting brain rest."

"Huh?" He blinked at Kagome in her sleeping bag, staring at him with concerned but sleepy eyes. "What are you talking about?"

She looked over at where the others were sleeping, Kirara on alert. Climbing out of her sleeping bag, she pulled it along with her to sit on beside him at the base of a tree. "Brain rest. When you have a brain injury, even a mild concussion, you are supposed to let your brain rest so it can heal. Little or no stimulation and keeping your thinking simple."

"Keh. I'm tougher than that. I can handle a little stimulation." Kagome squeaked and turned away and he could smell sudden heat in her scent. Inuyasha then realized what could have been implied by his words. He blushed slightly but couldn't help noticing that, while she'd been embarrassed, Kagome was the first one to let her mind "go there." He recalled the night before when he hadn't been held back by his memories, responding to Kagome completely on instinct. His own body heated with the desire to be right back there in that moment with her.

"W-Well it's good to let yourself rest. The more you rest, the sooner you'll be back to yourself." She still wouldn't look at him. He wanted to see her eyes. Catching her cheek with his hand, he brought her around to face him. "I-Inuyasha?"

"What if that was 'myself' last night?" he asked her in a whisper. Her hands lightly pushed against his chest to put a little distance between them. "Not having all that extra shit in my head made everything a lot clearer."

"Not having a choice isn't the same as making a choice," she breathed, her eyes closing to shut him out. It took him longer than he would admit to process what she was and wasn't saying. Not being able to remember Kikyo and his relationship with her, while freeing, also took away the need to make a choice. There was only Kagome in his world yesterday. Choosing to pursue the feelings she raised in him was a no-brainer when all the other stuff wasn't holding him back. No worry about his past love. No concern about his heritage. None of the walls his traumatic childhood had built. No Naraku to defeat.

He startled as she pulled away from him. He was embarrassed by how long it took him to react, grabbing her waist and hauling her into his lap. She let out an indignant huff but didn't move. "I told you yesterday. If my heart was supposed to be somewhere else, it wouldn't be acting like this in my chest here with you." His nose moved her hair away from her ear. "I may not be holding back like I usually would, but how is that any different than my human night?" he breathed into her neck. Kagome shivered.

"E-Even on your human night, you would never get this close to me."

"Never tried it, so who's to say?"

"Inuyasha. Please. This isn't funny."

That wretched scent that reminded him of curry filtered into her scent again. "I'm not laughing. I sure as hell ain't joking either." She whimpered when his teeth lightly skimmed the long line of her neck. He was careful of his hands as he supported her back in order to keep her close. "Kagome, this is real. This is how we should be," he whispered. His tongue retraced the path of his fangs up to her chin where he nuzzled her. He was submitting to her, though he doubted she understood that. "The us I saw, that I pictured when I started to remember, are bonded in a way that no one could separate." She gasped when he nipped the spot just under her ear. "The other stuff that gets in the way of that is just that… stuff. It showed me my most important, treasured memories." He gently explained that he had remembered his mother first, playing with him, crying for him. That's when he realized he was different, but not how. Next he'd remembered Kagome's scent, her smile, the way she rode on his back. Then he'd remembered that kiss. "It wasn't until you said something to me about her that I even remembered her name."

"You would have been so angry if I let things go on like that when you remembered."

"If it meant we got past all this bullshit and got it out in the open that we're meant to be together, I wouldn't have been mad." The change in her scent was sudden and it nearly washed him away in its intensity. She was surprised and pleased.

"Y-You think we belong together?" she asked, her voice hardly above a whisper.

"Keh. Ain't it obvious?"

She gaped at him. "Obvious? How?" she hissed.

"Kagome. Fate brought you five hundred years into the past to wake me after I slept for fifty years. We have been through hell and back. You stay by my side. You accept me for who and what I am when no one else has." She only blinked at him in surprise. "So maybe I haven't been able to be honest about how crazy that is, how unbelievable that is." His golden eyes seared her with their intensity. "But I feel it every single goddamn day. I wake up amazed that you aren't a dream. I watch over you at night sometimes, so sure you'll disappear if I take my eyes off of you for one second."

"Inuyasha," she breathed in awe. "I will be with you as long as you want me to be."

He shook his head in frustration. "That's the problem though, isn't it? You don't really believe that I want you to stay." Her eyes skittered away from his in an all too telling gesture. The unpleasant spiciness to her scent was coming back. "Don't fucking do that. Listen to what I'm saying!" Partially out of frustration, he pulled her down to grind into his hips, letting her feel what tasting her had already done to him. "Feel what I'm telling you," he growled against the curve of her jaw, nipping her neck again. "No one else has made me feel like this. Ever."

A thousand denials ran through her head. He was completely alone before he met Kikyo. He'd been rejected and hurt by anyone else he'd approached, human or youkai. He'd promised his life to Kikyo. He'd sworn to protect her. _I'm the only woman who has ever been truly interested in him exactly the way he is._ At the same time, the insistent press of his arousal into the cradle of her thighs was not to be ignored. His tongue and teeth on her shoulder and neck made his argument hard to refute. He would never let himself be this forward, this deep into his youkai instincts with Kikyo, she wouldn't have allowed it. And maybe that's where the problem lay. He was still so uninhibited from his brain injury, she couldn't trust him not to turn around and reject her once he was completely healed. "Please, Inuyasha, I can't…" she paused to gasp when he delivered a particularly hard thrust against her. Her body responded without her sayso, pressing into him and pulling a soft groan from his lips. She clung to him, hands tangled in the hair at his nape and pressing him closer as she repeated the motion without thought. It just felt too good! "I can't let you break my heart all over again," she finally sobbed out. He froze at her words, his hands becoming slack on her hips.

"I… I broke your heart?" he breathed against her.

"It's _my_ problem, not yours. I just…"

"Kagome…" Her tears tore at him. He didn't even realize how much it would hurt him to know she was hurting like this, to actually hear the words from her own mouth. She was hurting like this because of him. "Kagome, I don't want to hurt you. I hate it when you cry. I don't want to make you cry anymore. What do you need me to do?" he whimpered, again nuzzling her chin in submission. He was asking for forgiveness. Part of her must have understood because her fingers came up to gently scratch his ears. No one could ever truly understand what that small gesture meant to him. She not only accepted his "abnormal" features, she sought them out, knew how to soothe him. "Tell me how to show you."

Kagome took a shuddering breath. "In a few days, after you are back to normal, if this is still how you feel, then we can talk about it again."

"Kagome…" he grumbled. She didn't trust him to know how he felt.

"No, Inuyasha. I don't want you to do anything you'll regret." He didn't like it, but he couldn't really argue with her. There was a tiny part of him that wondered if she was right to be skeptical. He'd never allowed himself to be this honest with her before. What if it was only his brain's lack of filter? "I can wait a few more days so you're sure."

It took another two days with Kagome insisting he rest his brain by staying in a dark room for the majority of it before she finally conceded that he was back to himself. Despite how it made her heart ache, she stayed with him for most of that time to make sure he was following her precautions. He understood, with a few more lectures, about how certain parts of the brain control decision making and behavior. If those parts had been affected (which was highly likely) his actions the last few days would not reflect his true feelings. He had tried to subtly tell her that dropping his emotional baggage had actually been a relief for a while and he'd been his truest self. Now she could see the walls coming up, the edginess that was his usual personality. He tended to avoid looking at her, even when speaking to her, and he took prolonged walks around the village at night to "clear his head." Kagome felt like a pit had opened in the middle of her being. It was exactly what she'd feared. Inuyasha now understood how easily he'd been swept up by his impulses without the guardian of his reason to stop him. Despite stopping him then, telling him she couldn't risk more heartbreak, she felt it anyway. She hadn't wanted to get her hopes up, but they'd gone there anyway.

"Oi, Wench? Let's go." Kagome looked up at him through the doorway to Kaede's hut. His golden eyes were hard and she trembled in the knowledge that they were about to have the talk she already knew she didn't want to have. Setting aside the herbs she was handling, she glanced at the older miko and nodded at her concerned and questioning gaze.

He surprised her when they left the outskirts of the village, reaching over to take her hand. It certainly wasn't the first time they'd held hands, but it was different this time. Charged. She gulped down the nervousness that threatened to swallow her whole. He said nothing, simply leading her to the base of Goshinboku and settling onto the roots.

She couldn't look at him, looking for all she was worth like a prisoner awaiting judgement. Inuyasha hated it. Kagome was so sure he was going to crush her feelings. "Kagome." She flinched when he spoke. _Who is this terrified waif? This is not my Kagome, _he thought in irritation. "Woman, look at me," he growled at her. Her dark eyes finally met his amber. The resignation swirling in them almost made him sick. He dropped down to be at her level, making sure she wouldn't look away. "You really think I was out of my mind the other day, that none of that was real."

"It's not that. I was there, relying on you. I… Well I'm sure that smelling someone's arousal... " she fumbled.

Inuyasha snarled. "So now I'm just an instinct-driven animal?" Her eyes flew shut and her shoulders came up around her ears.

"No," she gasped. "That's not what I meant!"

"Then what did you mean? That I must just be so lonely…"

"Stop putting words in my mouth!" she finally snapped, tears still shining in her eyes. At least she was finally showing some spirit! "I just meant that when your higher reasoning skills were impaired, it is understandable that feeling and smelling that someone was attracted to you would trigger some lust."

"So you were just convenient? What kind of bastard do you take me for?" He was pushing her, he knew it, but he wanted her to get through all the bullshit she had floating in her head so they could get on the other side of it. He hadn't anticipated how easily she would fold. He hadn't realized how much stress she had been under, worrying about him, healing from her own wound and apparently worrying about this conversation. Typically she would have sat him for being so aggressive with her, but he knew she was terrified to concuss him when he was barely recovered. She broke down on her knees, curled in on herself, sobbing "no" over and over. "Kagome? Kagome, I'm sorry, I _was_ being a bastard just now," he murmured as he gathered her against him. "I just wanted you to see how little sense any of the reasons you were coming up with in your head made. You do that, get stuck in your head, and I wanted to get all of that stuff out of the way so you would see the truth."

"The truth?" Her voice was barely a shaky whisper.

He nodded, pressing his cheek to hers. "I don't feel any differently. I know I'm not smart, like you, but I can tell I'm back to my normal."

"You are smart," she breathed. "You wouldn't still be here at all if you weren't." He flushed slightly at her praise. "You still think…"

"There is no doubt in my mind." He nuzzled her ear. "Or my heart. This is where I belong." He squeezed her to him. "This is where you belong." After a moment, Inuyasha pulled back so he could look into her face, study her features, the light in her eyes. "You would have stood by me, even if I'd been like that forever, wouldn't you?" He felt it to the depth of his soul and yet he wanted to confirm it. Kagome flushed slightly but nodded. He couldn't help himself. Kissing her senseless wasn't nearly enough, but in that moment it was all he could think to do. Her scent reflected some surprise, but she only hummed and sighed against his lips, accepting.

Gathering her close, the inuhanyou relished the warmth of her against him, the truth of her steadfast love. Love he didn't entirely feel he deserved. She murmured his name against his mouth, but he wasn't ready to give hers up yet. His tongue slipped forward, flicking her lip and making her gasp. He took advantage of her parted lips in order to taste her. Her scent rose around him, clouding his nose to anything other than her. The depth of it surprised him a little and he paused. He was about to shrug it off when he realized what it was telling him. _Fuck. This is not a good time to do this_, he thought. Her most fertile time and he was contemplating exactly what he shouldn't. Exactly what they could not afford when they had shards to find, Naraku to kill and her honor to protect by her finishing her schooling.

Unaware of his internal struggle, Kagome took a breath. "You would still be you," she whispered. Distracted as he was, he didn't know what she meant. "If you had been brain injured for the rest of your life, you would've still been you. You'd have had to learn to deal with things differently and it wouldn't be easy, but you would still have the same soul, the same heart." Her soft hand lay over said organ.

"Keh. Then why were you so sure I didn't know what I was doing?"

"I-I didn't want to hope too much." She looked into his eyes. Looking a little damp, he worried she was about to cry again. She blinked a few times and the worry faded.

"No one else would have, you know. Especially as a hanyou. No one else I know would have accepted what you were prepared to." Kagome tsked before reaching up and gently brushing an ear. He leaned into her hand, encouraging her to rub it gently between her fingers. After a breath, his eyes closed in contentment. If he had been unsure of her at all, in that gesture she solidified why he needed her, why she was the one he wanted. This was why there was no choice to be made. Not because she was the one by his side, not because she was alive while Kikyo wasn't, not because her scent so affected him. She completely accepted him as he was, the way he was born, the way he hoped to stay. No one else in his life since his mother could truly claim the same. "You were right. I-I am starting to… like being who I am," he whispered, pressing his forehead to hers as she continued her gentle touch on his ear. "You make it easier."

"I'm glad."

✧✧ "Who?" There was fear in his golden eyes, true fear. He'd fallen asleep after regaining consciousness and now seemed alert enough that trying to talk to him again might be more productive. He looked between her face and Miroku's and edged away from them both. Kagome's heart stalled.

"Where am…"

"Inuyasha, you're safe. Miroku and I are here. You got hit in the head." He whimpered softly, making himself small against the tree he was leaning against. "Inuyasha?" she whispered softly. He didn't react to the sound of his name, simply watching her movements as if she might strike him. Kagome had to think quickly. There was a real risk that he could dart off into the woods if he was frightened enough and neither one of the humans would be able to catch up to him. Kagome dropped down onto her knees and made herself equally small. "You are safe. I'm Kagome." He eyed her, but made no move to put more distance between them. "We're your friends, your companions. We travel together," she told him gently. It was becoming evident to her that he didn't know what was going on. _But is it because he is still confused from the head injury, or because he doesn't…_

"Who are you?" he finally whispered. His quiet question solidified it for her. He didn't remember them.

It took a while and a few offers of food before they could coax him away from the base of the tree. _Thank goodness he didn't try to climb it_. He was reluctant to respond to questions and when he did, it was obvious he was struggling to come up with words. "Why don't you rest, my friend? Kagome-sama and I will be over here keeping watch." The monk gave the inuhanyou his most reassuring smile. He seemed skeptical, but he nodded slightly and allowed himself to close his eyes. Kagome watched him out of the corner of her eye and whispered explanations to Miroku about brain injury, memory loss and how damage to the brain can cause a whole host of issues. "But he'll recover, right?" he'd asked. Kagome froze, looking over her shoulder to more fully study her hanyou. The glaring bruise remained on the left side of his forehead, temple and across where a human ear would be. Even after hours of healing, it had only faded some.

"I… I really hope so."

"Kagome-sama," Miroku murmured in sympathy. "What will you do? If he remains as he is…"

"I will stay by him. Just like I always have." The two were interrupted when a howl was heard not very far in the distance. The singular howl became a chorus. "No. Not now," Kagome breathed. Her heart leapt into her throat as she looked over into Inuyasha's confused eyes. He was looking to her for answers. Answers she usually sought from him. ✧✧

Kagome woke with a slight gasp, her heart pounding. That initial moment of fear, of not knowing where to go, still felt fresh. It was difficult to figure out where she was and what was going on. It was dark, quiet, and warmer than what she last remembered. "Kagome? You alright?" The warmth shifted around her. Inuyasha's hand came up to cup her cheek.

"Yes. I… It was just a dream." She could tell he didn't believe her. With a sigh, she gave in, explaining how fearful she'd felt. "You always know what to do. I just… froze."

At first he said nothing, simply combing his fingers through her hair. Now that he'd allowed himself the affectionate gestures, he couldn't seem to resist when the opportunity arose. "I rely on my instincts a lot. My senses. You have good instincts too. How many times have you subdued me out of the way of something meant to take my head off?" Saying it that way, she was able to smile about it a little. "Kagome, you were doing your best. You were dragging my ass around and trying to figure out what to do with me."

Kagome amazed him. She had put herself in danger to protect him when she had no idea if he would ever gain consciousness again, if he would reclaim his speech, his reason, his memories. He had tried to impress upon her how baffled he was by her insistence on saving a hanyou who could potentially have been dead weight. In a typical situation, he would have shouted at her for being so stupid. Now though, learning the depth of her caring heart, he couldn't berate her. Seeing and smelling her residual fear from her dream, he couldn't tell her off for almost getting herself killed.

"You save my ass all the time. I just hate to admit it, so I don't say thank you when I should," he murmured in her ear.

"Keh," she responded with a huff of laughter. Inuyasha couldn't help the chuckle that bubbled out of him. He also couldn't help the desire to kiss her again. Kagome hummed, a smile against his lips as he took hers. He meant to keep it short and sweet, but his nose caught her scent all over again and he couldn't completely control the urge to taste her. His tongue gently traced the seam of her lips, groaning when she allowed him in. "How do we keep ending up like this?" she whispered when he moved to mouthing her neck, short bursts of pressure from his fangs making her gasp.

"Dunno. Can't help it. Like the way you taste, the way you smell," he mumbled distractedly. Kagome could quickly tell how her scent and taste was affecting him and her own body's response was swift. "Kagome," he rumbled, an almost-whine leaving him at the end of her name. "Dammit," he hissed suddenly.

Kagome squealed when he dropped them out of the branches of Goshinboku without warning. "Inuyasha?!" She felt the chill of the night hit her when he pulled away from her. "What is wrong?" she demanded to know. He huffed and paced, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. _Oh… oh no. He wasn't back to normal. Now..._ The chill of the night air couldn't compare to the icy feeling that washed down her spine as understanding hit her. Kagome's chest jumped in a too tight breath and she was bolting for the well before she even processed the urge to do so. Her heart was pounding, but she couldn't feel it. Her legs were pumping as she ran, but they were numb. The wind whistled in her ears but she could still hear him swear colorfully behind her. Letting her run. _Probably glad_, she thought. Her eyes blurred with tears and she could hardly see the well sticking out of the ground in the clearing.

The wind was nearly knocked out of her when something collided with her back. She mentally braced for the impact with the ground, but ended up tumbling instead, protected by a strong lithe body and bright red fabric. "The fuck, Kagome?!"

"It's ok, it's ok. I'll go, I promise, I'll go," she sobbed, trying to heave herself out of his hold and onto her feet again. He wouldn't allow it, pinning her to the ground with her wrists held gently in his grip and her hips trapped under his. "Please don't, Inuyasha. _Please_."

He didn't understand what she was begging him not to do. "Why are you running, you crazy wench?" For a moment he could only stare at her as she sobbed, realizing he wasn't going to let her go. "Kagome! Talk to me. What the hell is going on?"

"You're finally back to normal. It's fine. I knew…"

"You clearly don't know shit," he snapped. "I had to stop because I wanted more and you're in fucking heat!"

"What?" she squeaked. Her cheeks flushed, mortified. She wasn't completely naive. She knew what he was referring to. _How on earth does he know that?_

"That's part of why we've been ending up 'like this' the last couple of days." Her slightly blank look made him huff in irritation. "I can smell it and my body isn't completely listening to my head." Not the right one anyway. Even now, with her at his mercy, his blood was heating.

Kagome gaped up at him for a moment before realization hit her. "Oh! I… You mean you still want…"

"You? Yes," he replied with a grimace, the shifting of her body under his inflaming his blood. "Quit moving, woman."

"Inu…" The breathy tone in her voice made him shudder.

"Kagome, we cannot risk a pup right now. As much as I… fuck," he grunted, hips rolling into hers almost involuntarily. "It's too dangerous. There's Naraku, the jewel, your school." Kagome breathed the one name he'd tried not to think about. "She's… she's not part of the discussion."

"I think _she_ would have a very different opinion on the matter."

The unexpected voice jolted him and all heat drained from his body. He whipped his head around at the same time he stumbled to his feet. "K-Kikyo." The undead miko stood at the edge of the clearing, a dispassionate look on her face. "What are you doing here?" Unconsciously, Inuyasha pushed Kagome behind him, shielding her from the other woman's fierce gaze.

"I came to speak with you, especially after my sister explained that you sustained a severe blow to the head. Is that the reason for your behavior just now?" The muffled sob behind him straightened his spine a little.

"No. I've healed from that." Kikyo simply raised an eyebrow. "I-I was keeping Kagome from leaving… Because we were talking."

"Talking?" Obviously she'd seen and heard enough to know they were doing much more than "talking." She stepped closer to the pair, a faintly menacing aura brushing against his senses. Inuyasha reached back for Kagome's hand without realizing it. The action only increased the aura of the miko in front of him. "Is this the future you have chosen then? To bed and beget a child on this wanton girl?"

"I-I… that's not…"

"Or is this merely a fleeting urge?"

"No! We are… Kagome's meant to be with me," he breathed out, nowhere near the strength he had hoped his declaration would have. He growled when she stepped even closer. He remembered the day he'd had to pull Kagome from the nightmare vines and Kikyo had mused what he would do if she admitted to doing something to Kagome when she stole the jewel fragment from her. Kagome had begged him not to ask her, not to question what had happened. Seeing Kikyo now, scenting the fear and worry coming off of Kagome, it was pretty clear what had happened. He'd wanted to deny it, wanted to pretend that it was some kind of misunderstanding. "Back off, Kikyo."

"Or what, Inuyasha? What would you do if I…"

"Back the fuck up, Kikyo!" he roared, unsheathing and transforming Tetsusaiga in one movement, his left hand never releasing Kagome's behind him. Some small part of him relished the surprise on her face while most of him hated that it had come to this. He never truly believed he would need to draw his sword against Kikyo. "You don't have to like it, but you do have to accept it."

The undead miko scoffed. "Is that so? You forsake our history, our bond, for a warm body and what? A child's idea of love?" she sneered. Kagome sucked in a startled breath. The fear in her scent was twining with doubt and resignation. Did she have so little faith in him? In her own feelings?

Inuyasha snarled, lip curling as his youki rose in response to the perceived threat against his intended mate. "You're the one acting childish, Kikyo. You're spouting bullshit and you know it. Kagome has stood by my side, has trusted me no matter what my form and shown me how to be part of the world and not on the outside of it." While it seemed to give her pause, it didn't last long.

"You could have left her side to be with me at any time." Inuyasha froze for a moment before a slightly smug smirk worked its way into his lips.

"Exactly. And I never did."

Both mikos gasped in response, Kagome from surprise and Kikyo from outrage. Inuyasha felt Kagome's fingers grip his more tightly, a sign of her affection and support.

"I could have followed you. I could have let you take me to hell that time. But Kagome pulled me back."

"Her helplessness…"

"No!" he interrupted with a snarl. "Her strength is what brought me back. More times than you will ever know. Back from the edge of hell. Back from my beast. Back from having no memory of myself or my life. Kagome is the strong one here." The warmth of her against his back, her forehead resting against his shoulder blades, only further strengthened his resolve to see Kikyo gone. "Don't make me make you leave," he said with a low rumble.

His posture, his voice, the feel of his youki. Everything made it clear that if she didn't leave soon and on her own, he would use force if necessary. Kikyo tried to see a way to regain the upper hand, but it was evidently lost the moment she brought up the possibility of Inuyasha leaving her reincarnation behind. Not for the first time, Kikyo wondered if her lack of warmth in the physical sense was the main reason for his lack of fealty to her. Now that she had seen the two of them nearly rutting in the open, she felt somewhat vindicated in that assumption. However, his focus had been on her compassion, her loyalty, her trust in him. The strength of her heart.

"I see. Do not expect sympathy from me if you find yourself… tethered," she tossed over her shoulder as she walked away.

Inuyasha remained tense and on alert until she was long gone. Kagome hadn't budged from her place against his back, so he almost didn't hear her whispering into his suikan. "I would never want you to stay because you feel obligated, Inuyasha."

"I don't."

Kagome sighed. "I mean, even if we had… and something happened. I never want you to think I expect you to stay with me because you think it's the honorable thing to do."

Slowly, he sheathed his sword and turned to stare at her. "I'm starting to think you really believe I'm completely heartless."

"No… I…"

Inuyasha caught her cheeks in his hands, forcing her eyes to his. "I love you, you baka. You. If I whelped you, it wouldn't be entirely an accident," he growled before taking her lips in a fierce kiss. Kagome's heart leapt in her chest, the heat from their earlier encounter returning with a speed that made her dizzy. "I want you. I want a family with you," he whispered the last, suddenly unsure.

"Inuyasha," she breathed, tears coming to her eyes. "I want that too. I want us to be a family."

"But we have too much to do first." She nodded slowly, whispering that she was too young. "Tch. Whatever that means." He studied her with sharp golden irises glowing. "You would have stayed with me to take care of me. Is that because of a sense of obligation? That you're responsible for me?" he murmured eventually.

Kagome's gaze widened. "No. I love you."

"It's no different. You're stuck with me," he told her with a playful scowl.

A soft laugh burst out of her. "Why do you have to make that sound like a threat?"

"Keh." His tone was dismissive, but his mouth quirked with a grin. Pulling her into his chest, he held her for some time. "Come on. Let's head back to the village." Kagome nodded but made no move to go. "Woman. We should…"

"Heard you," she mumbled. "Let me enjoy this for a minute." The hanyou flushed slightly and kept her in his embrace for a bit longer, relishing the closeness. With the others around, they wouldn't have this freedom. "Are you sure, Inuyasha?" Her voice was barely audible from where her face was hiding in his suikan.

Instead of responding verbally, not his forte anyway, Inuyasha pulled her up and kissed her thoroughly, fiercely. He imprinted every bit of her lips and mouth he could reach on his memory, searing her with the feel of his lips, tongue and teeth so that she could not doubt him again. When he finally released her, he smirked at her inhalation. "I can't right now, but I will mark you as mine someday, Kagome. Don't you dare forget that," he rumbled against her ear, nipping it before letting her take a step back.

They spent the following months keeping up the pretense that their relationship had progressed no further than friends who were trying to hide their mutual love. Inuyasha suspected the monk at least was onto them, but he surprisingly let it be. Shippo was suspicious but teased them the same, yelled at him when he hurt Kagome's feelings and continued calling him names. The only thing different was the longing that rose in him whenever he had to let Kagome off his back, the ferocious ache whenever she went home, the hollowness of his gut when they fought. They had far too many things to worry about to let their feelings take them down paths they knew they couldn't tread yet.

Author note: This was based on the thought "What might happen if one of the many times Inu gets his head knocked around, he's human?" I hope it wasn't too jargony. I have to document about cognitive deficits all day, so I'm kind of immune to the descriptive lingo.

I always thought that Kagome would incidentally read up on this stuff so she'd know the signs of a concussion or worse. So you know, when Inuyasha gets slammed into a tree AGAIN, she can say, "Oriented to self, companions, place... but ooo, he thinks it's lunch time and we ate four hours ago... Better check his pupils." Or check on Miroku after another blow to the head from grabbing somewhere uninvited. I also felt like Miroku is so inherently curious and picks up on things so easily that he would be really interested in her anatomy books. I hope you enjoyed this first part!


	2. Part Two: Returned to Me

Having her torn away from him in the destruction of the jewel, watching her disappear to her time and knowing he would likely never see her again, gave Inuyasha a new understanding of the word "empty." Knowing she was safe was a small consolation in the face of her absence. He sought purpose in small things like keeping his forest clear of youkai, keeping an eye on the slayer and bouzu's growing family, and helping the baba with chores she couldn't manage anymore. Part of him ached any time he caught sight of the well, and he avoided it when possible, but he couldn't just leave. The tiniest part of him that was sheltered by the love he knew Kagome would always feel for him kept telling him to wait, to bide his time. Even if he had to wait five hundred years to see her again, it would be worth it.

The moment her scent caught his nose, instantly distracting him from playing with the twins, his heart started racing. His feet took him flying in the direction of the well without him realizing it, his ears twitching to catch any sound. The thump of a backpack, a voice calling his name... _It can't be. Don't get your hopes up, baka_. Reaching into the well and feeling the warmth of her hand in his made the pit inside of him start to fill with feelings he had denied for three years. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha. Did I make you wait too long?" she breathed with tears in her eyes but a smile on her lips.

"Baka. What have you been doing all this time?" he replied without thinking, pulling her into his chest to feel her against him again, to know she was real. "Kagome," he gasped. The tears welled in his eyes despite his best efforts, but for this single moment, it didn't matter. He had her back. His Kagome. After all the fear, the danger, the angst and loneliness. "Kagome."

"I'm here, Inuyasha. I've got you," she murmured into his suikan, gripping him all the more tightly. They both sniffled into each others' clothing, unable to move for fear the other would disappear again. When he finally set her down, her delicate hands were immediately on his cheeks, looking him over. "You haven't changed at all!"

The inuhanyou rolled his eyes, then looked over the young woman who had returned across five hundred years to see him. "You got a little taller," he noted when he didn't have to reach down as far to press their foreheads together. His hands cupped her jaw then ran through her hair, which he realized was longer than when he'd last seen her. "Damn, I missed you," he sighed. He couldn't help taking in her scent over and over, analyzing every nuance, imprinting it in his brain again. Her lips found his during his distraction and imprinted their softness on his with enthusiasm. Inuyasha groaned, desperate to feel, taste and smell every bit of Kagome he had been without for three years. Unfortunately, his ears twitched, letting him know that the others had come to investigate his rapid departure. "Tonight. I'm making good on my promise from three and a half years ago." Kagome flushed but sighed happily. A curt nod met his declaration and he smirked, squeezing her hands in his own.

"Kagomeeeee!"

"Uggh," Inuyasha groused at the sound of the kitsune yelling his head off. Kagome giggled a little.

"Don't worry, dog boy, you'll get me all to yourself later. I'll make sure of it." He grinned broadly at her words.

The rest of the day was a whirlwind of greetings, relieved hugs, people asking how long she was staying. "I… I don't think I can go back. So, if you'll have me, I would like to stay here in the village." She said it to the group in general, but her eyes flicked meaningfully to Inuyasha's. She was met with a chorus of approval and enthusiastic acceptance while the glittering of gold eyes warmed her from the inside out. Everyone was pleased to have her back, but none more than the inuhanyou. By the end of the day, with everyone's bellies full and Kagome sufficiently greeted and introduced to the new members of the family, Inuyasha was ready to throw her over his shoulder.

The only thing keeping him from doing exactly that was watching her cuddle Sango's new little one. He was asleep in the young miko's arms, tiny nose tucked against her chest, his fist gripping the edge of her sweater. She was staring down at his sleeping face in blatant adoration. Inuyasha couldn't help watching her in abject fascination. He'd never really seen Kagome hold a baby before and the image was squeezing his heart in a way he had never felt in his life. "Kagome-chan, I'll take him," Sango whispered. Her soft words broke both of them out of their daze. "Kagome-chan, I'm… Thank you for coming back to us. These last three years…" She glanced at Inuyasha out of the corner of her eye, but only smiled a little and leaned forward to give her dear friend a one-armed hug. "We are glad to have you home."

"Thank you, Sango-chan. I'm glad I'm here too." She waited for the young mother to leave in order to return to her own hut with her husband, who had already taken the twins to put to bed. "Kaede-obaachan? I think Inuyasha and I…"

"Oh child, shoo. No need to ask this old lady for permission. You two have been apart for too long." Kagome smiled, clasping the older miko's hand for a brief moment, then turned to her hanyou waiting at the door.

"Keh."

Kagome laughed, gently pushing him out of the hut and toward the outskirts of the village. "Don't you scoff at me, Puppy."

Inuyasha paused, caught off guard, then hopped to catch up to her pace. "Since when do you call me that?" he asked her.

He wasn't expecting the flush in her cheeks, nor in her scent. "I-I guess while I was gone? Sometimes i-it was too hard to say your name, even in my head, so I…"

He stopped her short and gathered her into his chest. "So you gave me a pet name?" he breathed in her ear. She nodded slowly. "And you call out to me in your head?" Her only response was a shuddering breath and the deepening of her scent. "My, my, Kagome. What have you been thinking about that you would be calling out for me?"

"Don't make fun of me."

"Why would I? I've been dreaming about you since the moment you were taken from my side." Her eyes lifted to his and the wonder and sadness there startled him. Her hands snaked up to touch his face, fingers swiping away the moisture he didn't even realize was there.

"I'm sorry I couldn't come back sooner."

"We're lucky you could come back at all."

"I know. But… I would have stayed with you then, if I'd been given the choice."

"I never would have let you go." Kagome let out a sigh at his admission. "You make me so fucking soft," he grumbled, making her laugh.

"I have been waiting so long to tell you how much I…" He paused her, pressing a hand to her mouth.

"Not yet, not until we're completely alone."

* * *

Kagome hadn't anticipated him having his own hut already. It seemed odd now, to have assumed he was living in the woods or with Kaede this whole time. He was a grown man who wasn't really much of a people person. It would make sense that he'd make a private space for himself. She really hadn't anticipated all the, by feudal standards, luxuries he'd included in building it. _With me in mind_, she thought fondly. It caused a pang of guilt, thinking of him planning this house for her with no guarantee that she would ever be able to return to him. "Inuyasha, it's wonderful." He looked up from where he was starting the fire, glancing around as if looking at it for the first time himself.

He blushed lightly. "Keh."

"I'm serious," she murmured, gently tracing her fingers along the shelves lined with small jars for storage of herbs, spices, and tea. He had added hooks under the shelves, like her mother's kitchen, to store pots so they didn't take up extra space. It was no bigger than the average village hut, but he had obviously observed a few things in her family's house to address storage in a small space. There was a raised futon platform with storage boxes underneath where Kagome found extra blankets, a few bathing and sleeping yukata, and a beautiful kimono. "Inuyasha, what…"

He stood, brushing his hands off, then knelt beside her. "The village headman gave it to me almost right after you were taken. He said they had been gifted it by a trader but felt you deserved it after everything you'd been through."

"Why not give it to Sango-chan?"

"Too short for her. The hem was already let out once." Kagome nodded faintly. "It… it's meant to be a wedding kimono," he whispered.

"Mm. I can see that." She took a breath before glancing at him. "Would you want me to wear it someday?"

"Sooner rather than later," he responded, tucking her into his side and nuzzling her neck. Kagome felt the beating of her pulse throughout her body. "You just got back. You don't have to decide anything now."

"What's to decide?" she murmured, head tilting to allow him access to her throat and the underside of her jaw. His breathing changed slightly. "You already told me what you wanted three years ago. I hope that hasn't changed." He hummed in agreement as his lips traced the edge of her jaw, up to her ear. "You know I love you." He paused, forehead pressing against the side of her head. "Inuyasha?"

"I-I don't think I'll ever get tired of hearing you say that," he whispered. "I dreamed about you coming back so many times. Dreamed about you telling me... Actually hearing you say it is so much better."

"Inuyasha," she lifted her hand to tentatively brush his ear. It flicked away at her touch, but he groaned while tracing his much larger hand up her arm to encourage her to try again. The feeling of the soft fur under her fingertips made Kagome sigh. Unsure why, tears came to her eyes. "Inuyasha." He turned her into him, her arms tight around his neck and shoulders, her face burrowing into the curve of his neck. "I missed you so much."

"Me too, Kagome, me too."

"I thought I would never see you again and I…" She let out a sob, melting into him and releasing the pent up feelings from the last several years. She had made it a point not to show her friends or family her tears, to smile even when she wanted to break down. It had been necessary armor against the darkness of being separated from the man she loved with all she was. Until that moment the well opened up for her after graduation, she had been certain she would need to say goodbye and move on. "It hurt, but I thought about you everyday. I checked the well every week. I…"

"Kagome," he soothed. "Kagome, you don't have to prove anything to me." Inuyasha relished the chance to comfort her, to hold her in his arms and run his fingers through her hair. It had been far too long. "You're here now. I've got you."

"Yea. You always have, haven't you?" she sighed.

"Always will."

While the temptation was certainly there to continue their affectionate and passionate embraces, they both knew that there might be wagging tongues regarding the newly returned miko and the inuhanyou protector of the village come morning. Once Kagome was calm and felt up to it, Inuyasha walked her back to Kaede's.

"I'll come get you in the morning," he promised. "We can go for a run. Just like old times." Kagome's grin and the eagerness in her scent were well worth it. "G'night."

"Night." She glanced over his shoulder and then her own before going up on her toes to kiss him. "I love you," she breathed for his ears alone. She smiled at the dusting of pink on his cheeks and the way his ears were completely focused on her.

"M-me too."

They said their final goodnights and reluctantly parted to get some rest. Kagome fought the urge to squeal childishly in happiness that _finally_ she had been able to express her love to the man who had held her heart since she was fifteen years old. As her brain started to settle into sleep, her mind brought back the look on her mother's face as she told her to go. "Mama," she whimpered into her sheet. The ache accompanied her into her slumber and haunted her dreams.

* * *

Kagome woke feeling drained and a little disoriented. Why were the birds so loud? She couldn't usually hear the neighbors at all, so unless there was something happening on the shrine grounds…

"Oi, you awake yet?" Dark brown eyes blinked several times in slight shock before she rolled out of the futon and nearly tumbled through the doorway. A red-clad chest met her hands and she gripped it suddenly. "Hey, Kagome? You alright?" His voice was soft, concerned. But it was _his_ voice. His smell. Him. Her Inuyasha. Tears filled her eyes unbidden and she simply leaned her forehead into his sternum to breathe him in and try to calm herself down. She was shaking and she wasn't entirely sure why. "Kagome, Kagome," he murmured, cradling her close and unconsciously tucking her into his sleeves to hide her crying face from anyone who might happen by. "What's wrong?"

"I'm alright," she tried to assure him. She explained how she'd been confused when she first woke, not sure if this was all a dream until she heard him call out to her. "I was just so relieved." He scooped her into his arms and leaped down the path to his favorite tree aside from Goshinboku. There was a branch just large enough to hold them both and he took her up there to roost and settle down without any prying eyes or ears.

Understanding and appreciating his thoughtfulness, Kagome allowed herself to release her emotions in the safety of his embrace. "D-Did you get to say goodbye?" he breathed.

"Only to Mama." Inuyasha felt his heart constrict for her. While being able to let her mother know she was going was better than nothing, not being able to tell her brother and grandfather, or her friends, she would be leaving was not how he would have wished her departure to go. He had barely been able to say goodbye to her all those years ago and he ached that he hadn't been able to tell Mama, Sota, and Jii-chan how much he appreciated them welcoming him into their family. Inuyasha hadn't felt that kind of acceptance and belonging for the majority of his life. "She told me to go. She understood."

"Doesn't mean it doesn't hurt." Inuyasha took a deep breath, building up the strength he knew Kagome would need from him to get her through this. "Whenever you need to talk about them, I'm all ears." She laughed at his unintentional joke with tears still sitting in her eyes.

"Thank you. I'm not even sure what to feel yet," she admitted. He tsked, folding her into the safety of his arms again.

The pair sat in silence, taking in the sounds of the village going through the morning routine. The occasional cart or villager on foot would pass underneath their branch, a call of greeting going up to the hanyou. They seemed to be so used to him being there, they didn't even notice the young woman curled in his embrace.

"I'm so proud of you." Her whisper against his chest made him blink away the hazy place his mind had gone. Looking down, brown met gold. "You have made yourself a place here. You didn't… Give up."

"Keh. I knew you'd scold me if all your hard work went to waste."

Kagome shook her head slowly. "You did that work, Inuyasha. Give yourself credit." He only hummed in response. "Sango-chan said you've even been babysitting some."

"How else were they going to get through those first couple months with a newborn whelp and twin three-year-olds?" he returned. Kagome stared up at him with awe in her eyes. "What?"

"Inuyasha from four years ago would never have thought about that." A typical scoff met her observation, but she could see he was actually thinking about her words.

When they first met, he could barely be counted on to be aware of his own feelings let alone care much about someone else's. With time and practice, he started to learn what it meant to have friends, to anticipate their needs. He learned what it meant to have people depend on you and to depend on them in return. "I wouldn't have needed to, then."

"The girls adore you," she commented.

"They think I'm a toy." Kagome laughed. "They ain't so bad now that they're bigger. Two at once was sure rough on both the Slayer and the Monk, though," he mused. "They never slept and poor Sango looked rung out from feeding them all the time."

Kagome took a breath before broaching the subject looming over them. "Babies are a lot of work."

"Keh." Inuyasha noticed the tension in her frame. "Seems worth it though. Otherwise why would they go for another one?"

"Was it on purpose?"

"They asked for… a hint. Just to make sure they were tracking things right. Sango said you taught her that." Kagome flushed. She had told Sango-chan about tracking your cycle and "natural family planning" for future reference. Knowing Miroku, he wouldn't necessarily see a problem with them ending up with ten children or more. Sango's plan had never been more than five. Adding the information that Inuyasha was capable of scenting that kind of thing had been an offhand comment that wasn't exactly accidental.

"Is… do you still…" Kagome swallowed hard. "Is that still what you want?"

"I said so yesterday, didn't I?" He contemplated the reality of it for a while. "I want you all to myself for a while first. I see how little time they get to themselves, even with people watching the girls sometimes." He sighed into her hair. "We have a lot of lost time to make up for."

Kagome smiled. "Yea, we do."

* * *

"Inu…" Kagome sighed, nose pressed into his shoulder as he nibbled her neck. A static charge went down her spine when he bit a little harder. She gasped, shifting in his lap and gaining a grunt from the hanyou beneath her. His grunt became a growl as he intentionally moved against her, tongue joining his teeth on her skin. Kagome whimpered.

"Fuuu… Woman, we are not supposed to be..." He found himself unable to finish a thought as her heat pressed into his, the mixed scent of excitement and want filling his nose. They were supposed to be just going for a run. They had made a habit of going out into the forest to let him burn off some energy while they both searched for any stray youkai. Kagome occasionally got the chance to fire an arrow in warning, rarely needing to actually dispatch anything because most youkai knew better at this point. Stay out of Inuyasha's forest.

They'd stopped to rest and talk before going back into the village, still trying to catch up on three years' worth of lost time. The wind had picked up, meaning Kagome had asked to go down from the branch of Goshinboku they were on, and Inuyasha had pulled her into his lap to wrap her in the billowing sleeves of the firerat. Her scent under his nose and her warmth against him had been the last straw. It was definitely not the first time since she'd returned that they'd ended up in a similar situation, but it was the closest they'd been to the village and the risk of getting caught was creating a little thrill for both of them.

Kagome's hands encouraged his to slide into her white kosode, the folds loosening from her red hakama. He was too caught by her morphing scent to refuse. The softness of her skin was a wonder to him. He was amazed that anything so delicate, so fragile, could encase the strongest person he knew. She hummed, head falling back some as his lips moved down over her collarbone and toward where his hands flexed against her waist. The temptation to lay her back and explore all of that delicious skin was strong, but he managed to pull back.

The crunch of leaves and underbrush alerted him to _why_ he was able to stop. "Kagome!" he hissed, struggling to pull her kosode closed and whispering in her ear that there was someone coming. As soon as her clothes were set to rights, he leapt into the boughs of Goshinboku, clutching her close and ducking behind the wide trunk as a small party of village women foraging for herbs and mushrooms entered the clearing.

"Oh! Did you know that Kagome-sama was helping Kaede-sama with Hisa's littlest? She was always crying, the poor thing, and Kagome-sama showed Hisa how to move the wee one's legs to let out bad humors and she stopped fussing!" Kagome sighed, leaning her head against him as they stood on a wide branch, halfway up Goshinboku. It was hard not to chuckle at how magical they thought she was for knowing bicycling the baby's legs would help get gas out. Hisa had been over the moon that her youngest (of four) would be a happier baby now that she knew the trick.

"I heard she and Inuyasha-sama intend to get married," one of the women whispered, loud enough for everyone to hear. Inuyasha looked heavenward in exasperation. They just couldn't leave it alone, could they? "Do…" the woman looked around. "Do you think Kagome-sama will still be able to help the village after… you know?"

Another woman piped up immediately. "Kaede-sama said she thinks she'll only get stronger once they're wed." There was a short chorus of gasps, giggles and murmurs of mild disbelief. Kagome shook her head, rolling her eyes. The women continued on their way back to the village, all talk of the odd pair forgotten as their conversation moved on to their aching backs or the meals they would need to prepare when they arrived home.

"We're the talk of the town, apparently."

"Keh."

Kagome sighed, leaning her head against his chest. "Are _we_ going to talk about it?" He let out another scoff, but she could feel the nervous energy start to move through him. "If you're not sure, Inuyasha…"

"'Course I am, baka. It's just… Are you?" The look she gave him was answer enough. "What… what if you really _do_ lose your powers?"

Kagome chewed her lip in thought. "Would that make me less?" He scowled at her. "Then I honestly don't care. All I care about is being with you and helping the village. I don't need my reiki to do that. Not really." She reached up to tug on his forelocks, pulling him down for a soft, gentle kiss. "Which I doubt will be an issue. Nothing we've done up until now has diminished my reiki in any way." He huffed at her. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." The young miko took another breath to settle her nerves. "We should, you know, set a date."

"Set it whe… Oh. Yea. What about, next week?"

Kagome struggled not to shake him for his overly nonchalant response to planning what should be a very big deal. _But it isn't like that here,_ she had to remind herself, _at least not the planning part._ The commitment, that was the important part of the whole thing, and doing it correctly. She was able to take a moment to calm the gut reaction and think a little more logically. At least until Inuyasha's hands found their way to her backside and hefted her up against him. "What…"

"Nothing."

"Are you… ah… trying to play it… cool?" she huffed as he let his heated arousal brush her. The exact opposite of cool. The smirk that started to curl his lip made her groan. Definitely not the feeling of him against her. "If you don't quit, we're going to have to have Miroku-sama marry us tonight."

His mouth found hers, his lips firm, resolute. "You say that like it should scare me," he purred against her mouth. Kagome gasped when he pulled her into him even tighter than before. The hard ridge of him through their hakama had her aching for more. "What if I said I want to bond you right now?" His breath was hot against her chin, a flash of tongue on her lip a moment later. "Make you mine."

"I thought you said we shouldn't do this now?" she taunted him, nipping at his lips before capturing them with her own.

He rumbled a laugh. "Maybe. Do you really need to wait for the human wedding?"

Kagome did stop then. As tempting as it might be, their earlier conversation gave her pause. If she _did_ lose her powers, and something happened _before_ the wedding that required that she use them, everyone would know that she was no longer "pure" and that would come down on Inuyasha's head first. With the belief that her purity was paramount, it would be the hanyou who had "stolen" it, nevermind her own agency in sharing herself. Pushing lightly against his shoulders, Kagome put enough space between them for logical thought. "Yes. We probably should." She carefully explained her reasoning, leaving out the part where everyone would blame him. He knew though. She saw the understanding shade his eyes.

With a deep sigh, the inuhanyou slowly let his intended down until her feet also rested on the branch. It took him a moment to calm his blood enough to think straight. She was absolutely right. No matter what his instincts were saying, if they got caught, everyone would look down on her… on him. He pressed his forehead to hers, the pair taking a shuddering breath before they could safely change position and hop down from their perch. Inuyasha was reluctant to release her thighs from around his hips, but finally let her off of his back. "I'll speak with the headman this afternoon."

"I'll… I'll talk to Kaede-obaachan."

"Do you want me to ask the Bouzu?" Kagome thought about it a moment, then nodded. "Probably should be both of them."

They entered the village with a respectful distance between them, but clear intimacy in their manner. Everyone knew they would marry. It was just a matter of time.

* * *

The kimono ended up needing the hem taken up a little, but the end result was beautiful. Kagome fidgeted as Sango and Kaede finished settling the folds correctly and perfecting the obi. She felt better in this than she would have in the more restrictive and formal wedding outfit that had become more popular over time, and was glad for the headman's thoughtful gift. It was nice not having to think about wearing a headpiece that weighed more than her own head. She knew Inuyasha would be happy with her in her school skirt and sweater as long as the end result was them being together. While she felt the same, she also wanted the village to see how seriously they were taking this commitment.

Kagome took a slightly restricted breath and let it out slowly. "Kagome-chan, you look lovely," Sango murmured.

"Thank you," she responded, genuine gratitude in her soft smile.

"Kagome, my child, you have been very quiet during all of this. Are you feeling… unsure?" The younger miko blinked at the elder in slight shock before she fully understood what she was saying.

"I know I want to be with Inuyasha. I just… not having my mother, brother, and grandfather here is hard." Both the women with her fully understood, she knew. Neither one of them had any of their family left. Sango, too, got married without any of her family present. "But I have you all here, and _you_ are my family too. I am grateful for all you've done for me. For Inuyasha while I was gone." She smiled at the two women who were giving her watery smiles. "He may not say it, but you're his family too."

"He may not say it, but he has shown it over the years. This old woman has been very grateful for his assistance and watchful eyes." Her gaze softened in her sighted eye. Kagome could see the beginnings of cataracts clouding the pupil. "And you child, you have brought peace to this village and to its protector. We are so glad to have you home." She opened her arms to take Kagome into them, patting her back as the younger miko stifled emotional breaths. She wasn't crying, but her eyes weren't exactly dry either. This kind and generous woman had been like a grandmother to her from the very beginning of her journey here. Knowing she had always been supportive of her and Inuyasha made her involvement in this day all the more important. When Kaede released her, she patted her cheek gently and smiled. "Where you are meant to be."

Sango gripped her hand in solidarity, the sisters-by-choice sharing a meaningful look. Their little found family was growing and strengthening the bonds that made them _family_. Today, she would become Inuyasha's wife. Kagome took a fortifying breath in and nodded as she let it out. She could do this. She was meant to do this. "I'm ready if you both think I am."

"Kagome-chan, you look perfect." The young woman from the future couldn't help beaming at her friend. "Kaede-obaachan needs to go first, but I'll walk with you."

The younger women gave the elder miko the time to set her ceremonial attire to rights, Sango helping her pull her hair back a little more cleanly than usual. They waited for her to leave the hut first, giving the slower-paced miko time to get plenty ahead of them.

"Before we go. I-I know that in your time, you learn much more than we do but… if you wanted to know… about tonight?" Poor Sango's cheeks were like apples, her dark eyes anxious but eager to help. Kagome sighed, smiling wryly.

"Thank you, Sango-chan. I know I can come to you for anything." She bit her lip. "I don't think I'll need too much advice about this part though." Sango's eyes widened in open shock, making it clear that she assumed things had perhaps already gone further than she thought. "I know, well, a lot from my time and a few… moments with him. But Inuyasha and I have never done anything more than kiss," she whispered. _Or made out. Or done some very heavy petting._ But poor Sango didn't need to know that part right now. Maybe a few months down the road when she and Inuyasha were more settled into newly married life…

_Oh my goodness. I'm going to be married to Inuyasha. __**Today**__._

Kagome was shaken out of her epiphany at the touch of Sango's calloused hand on her own. "I would not judge you, my friend. I know that you two were closer before you left than ever before." Kagome coughed, explaining that it hadn't been _that_ close, but that she understood the mechanics well enough to not need any tips at the moment. She couldn't be absolutely sure, but she had a feeling she would be at least somewhat more knowledgeable than her soon-to-be husband when it came to sealing the deal, and that was a decent place to start. "Come on, Kaede-obaachan is far enough ahead. Are you ready?" Sango asked her one last time.

She was very ready.

Inuyasha fought the continuous need to fidget as he and Miroku waited for the women to arrive. Many of the villagers had showed up at the shrine to witness the proceedings, milling around in a loose group. It was not often - make that ever - that a miko and a hanyou got married. All their eyes on him was starting to make his skin crawl, but he knew that he was going to have to get used to having people stare at him in fascination. Disgust he could handle. That was familiar, expected. But to have several dozen people show not only interest, but genuine excitement at the prospect of him, a half-breed mongrel, wedding the woman of his dreams? It was weird. "Kaede-sama is coming up the shrine steps. I imagine Sango and your bride will arrive shortly after." Miroku's voice strangely calmed him. "You look… uncomfortable, Inuyasha."

"Keh."

"Mm. Is it all the villagers here or facing what you're about to do?" Golden eyes lanced him. Miroku had known Inuyasha too long now to be quelled by his silent ferocity. "You know, I found myself a bit anxious when I was waiting for Sango. It felt very final. In a good way, but… it was the end of…"

"It ain't that. I'm not a letch like you… were." The slightly warning look in the monk's eyes forced him to amend his initial insult. "Do you think they're all going to stare at us for the rest of our lives?"

Miroku stifled a grin. So it was not about the gravity of the event, it was all the voyeurs. "I could ask them all to leave, say it's a private ceremony."

"They'll be pissed. Or think we didn't actually go through with it," Inuyasha hissed.

The crowd was slowly parting from the back, allowing the elderly miko to make her way toward them. He caught the faintest whiff of Kagome's scent and knew she couldn't be far behind. "This is true. They will settle down once you two have settled down." Miroku smiled gently. "I am… very happy for you, my friend."

Inuyasha froze, looking over at his comrade and friend… a brother really. They had been through some pretty heavy shit together. The inuhanyou knew he could count on the monk for just about anything. Yet to hear him express his honest happiness for him was a bit startling. "Th-thanks." Miroku's smile grew and he patted him on the shoulder. "They're here."

It would have sounded more ominous if it weren't for the adoration on the hanyou's face. And Miroku could absolutely see why. Sango's head appeared over the top of the stairs first, being slightly taller than Kagome, but when the young miko became visible, he could understand why his friend was holding his breath. She looked lovely in the kimono he recognized as the one gifted to Inuyasha by the headman years ago. The hanyou had wanted to give it away, destroy it. Anything to keep it from reminding him that Kagome wasn't _here_. But Sango and Miroku had convinced him to hold onto it. Just in case.

"It is good that you kept it," was all he said as the three women made their way toward them, Kaede whispering a blessing as she joined them. "Kaede-sama, thank you for letting me join you in officiating this momentous occasion." Both holy people bit back smiles at the short growl directed at his words. Inuyasha did not appreciate any extra pressure. His ire was short-lived, however, the anticipation of having Kagome beside him too much for him to focus on their light teasing.

The way Inuyasha relaxed as soon as Kagome's hands touched him did not go unnoticed. Nor the way Kagome's smile went from strained to warm when he sandwiched her hands between his larger ones. If anyone had doubted the love that had been blossoming between the pair for four years, those doubts could be laid to rest at that moment. Kaede's low voice began a prayer, hushing any murmurs from the crowd and drawing everyone's attention to the wedding of the century. Well… Five centuries.

* * *

It made no sense to feel nervous now. After all they had already done, all they had been through together in their journey to this day. Yet here they were, staring awkwardly at the futon between them. Inuyasha had already discarded his kosode and suikan in an anxious attempt to make her feel less nervous, peeling back the cover. Kagome cleared her throat, hesitating a moment before turning her back. Inuyasha's breath caught in his lungs in shame. _She already regrets…_ "Can you undo this for me? I can't do it myself," she murmured. When he finally released his held breath, he caught the heat in her scent. She was still feeling shy, but she wasn't afraid of what they were planning to do.

"Y-Yea." He crawled across the bedding and knelt behind her, carefully unfolding the bow and slowly unwinding her from the length of fabric. He could hear the change in her heartbeat and breathing when it loosened completely and fell to the bed between them. "Almost a shame to take it off," he muttered. Kagome laughed, startling him a little.

She turned, the kimono and under kimono still overlapping modestly. "I'm glad you liked it." He delicately gripped the loosened fabric at her hips, pulling her toward him. He felt a little thrill at the hitch in her breathing, the change in her scent. "You looked very handsome standing up there." Her fingers looped and twirled the long tail of his hair, pulled back from his face to make him look a little less wild for the auspicious occasion. He scoffed. "I mean it. I like your hair up. I can find this easier…"

By the time he realized what she was after, he'd already fallen victim to her teasing touches on the nape of his neck. He gasped, whimpered. Damn if that wasn't one of the most sensitive places on his body aside from the obvious. Her nails gently raking down the ridges of his spine and up again until they dug into his hair had him arching into her, tipping his head back. Her lips found his vulnerable, soft and gasping. "You know I hate it when you do that," he sighed even as his eyelids fluttered from the sensation.

"You only hate that it makes you feel weak," she reminded him. "If there's anyone you can be weak with, it's me." She kissed him again. The heat of her skin pressing to his front elicited a sharp inhalation on his part. "I'm your wife." Her soft tone, followed by the sharp scent of salt, made him snap to attention. Her brown eyes were liquid but a smile lifted her lips.

"Yea. You are," he affirmed. "And I'm your husband."

"Yes. You are," she whispered. A tear lost purchase of her eyelash, falling onto his chin. Inuyasha tsked, wiping the remaining moisture from her eyes with gentle thumbs. His long-fingered hands cradled her cheeks, pulling her down into his kiss this time. He started soft, slow movement and slips of tongue. After she let out a little sigh of happiness, his teeth entered the picture, carefully nipping her lip. Kagome whimpered, melting into him as he knew she would.

Curling her under him, he lowered her onto to the futon, her clothes sliding open. She wore her modern under things, the lace cupping the places he most wanted to explore. "You planning on keeping those on?" he teased her. He knew it would take him some time to learn how to undo them and, even if he did, they likely wouldn't last her long with no alternates. She had come back to him with only the clothes on her back. _She could save these for special occasions_, he mused, smirking at her eye roll. He helped her divest herself of the kimono layers and set them aside a bit more gently than his own clothes. Laid out beneath him, she was the most beautiful thing he had ever experienced. Her hair had come loose from the pins it was tucked up with earlier, soft kinks and curls making it appear almost alive against the backdrop of _their_ futon.

Inuyasha leaned down to nuzzle her nose, amber eyes falling closed at the warmth that filled him, knowing that this was theirs. They were finally together as they had wanted more than three years ago. Together when he had been so sure that he'd never see her again. "Inuyasha?"

"Thank you. For coming back to me," he breathed.

"You came back to me first," she reminded him after a held breath, fingertips tracing the spot on the side of his head where she could still imagine the sizeable contusion. The glaring bruise that had shown only the surface of the damage done that horrible night of the new moon.

Kagome was momentarily taken back to that gut-churning fear, the thought that Inuyasha was dead. The blood trailing down his ear, his cheek, was vivid in her mind. The side of his skull had not looked right, and she had been terrified to touch it in case it really was shattered. She had fought back the panic, needing to assess the situation and not fall into the trap of the emotions screaming from the pit of her stomach. She needed to help him, protect him. _Save Inuyasha!_

"Kagome?" His worried voice broke her out of her memory, calling her back to the present. Amber eyes filled with concern, his thumbs rubbed her shoulders in comforting circles. "What were you…" His eyes seemed to follow where her fingers still lightly pressed. Understanding finally dawned. "Do you… remember that?" She nodded, her lip quivering. "Kagome. I'm alright. See! I'm fine."

"I know. I know you are. I just… I dreamt about it a lot when I was stuck in my time. I worried that it might happen again and I would never know. I would never…"

Inuyasha took a firmer hold of her shoulders, giving her a light jolt to get her full attention. "I would never give up trying to get to you," he growled. His face was alight with the fire of his determination. Kagome could see in that moment that her hanyou would have done all in his power to fight his way to her, if that were an option. He would have ripped another hole in space-time to be by her side. "I… at first, I thought maybe you would be better off in your time, that you would find a hum…"

Kagome's hand on his lips muffled then stopped where he'd been going. "Never doubt that this is where I belong." The kiss that followed was fierce, harsh, banishing the words on his tongue back to wherever they came from. Her arms came around his neck, pulling him down into her embrace while her lips worked his. Inuyasha groaned, hips fitting against hers and pinning her restless form to the futon. He couldn't help snarling when she roughly bit his lower lip, drawing him deeper into her kiss, riling his youki. Her message rang loud and clear, singing through his veins, enveloping his soul. She didn't want a human male. Kagome wanted him. Animal instincts and all.

A soft rumble took residence in his chest as they slowly ground against one another, the lace of her underthings rough against his skin in a way that ignited his blood. He wanted to feel more. One hand loosened hers from his hair and set her fingertips at the tie of his hakama while he kept kissing her. He felt her slight hesitation, the way her breath caught, and then her fingers were tugging at the ties, loosening them from his hips. Her small hands pressed him back until he was sitting up and she slowly peeled the fabric over his thighs. She made a face at his fundoshi. "I'll teach you that if you teach me these," he murmured in her ear, tracing the strap of her bra with careful claws.

Kagome chuckled. "Here," she whispered, directing his hands behind her and helping him find the delicate clasp. "Pinch those together," she explained. It took him a few tries, but his grin was infectious when he finally felt the satisfying spring and release of the material. He sat back, thumbs slowly pushing the straps aside until they fell off of her shoulders. Kagome's cheeks were pink, her dark eyes averted as she bit her lip. He could smell the anxiety rise in her and struggled with how to make her more comfortable.

Inuyasha made a point not to stare, looking at only her face until she finally looked back at him. He took her hands and helped her find the beginning corner of his fundoshi and guided her to unfold it properly so he could slide out of it. He felt his own cheeks heat knowing he was completely bare in front of another person with his feelings on display. Kagome glanced down only once, flushing deeper, then locked their gazes. He opened his mouth to apologize, then swallowed it when she tentatively reached forward again to touch him. His stomach spasmed in surprise at the sensation that rippled through his whole body. No one but himself had ever touched him there and she was so… gentle. The almost teasing caresses were both too much and not enough. "Kagome…" he sighed, a whine leaving him when she finally gripped his length a little more firmly. "I…"

"Help me take these off," she whispered, slowly letting go of him and laying back. His hands shook a little as he hooked the sides of her underwear with his thumbs, sliding them down her long legs. Her scent blossomed in his nose with the removal of the barrier and he couldn't help letting his eyes trail up her body from where he knelt at her ankles.

"Kami, you are so…" She blinked. "You're beautiful," he grumbled, crawling back over her so he could kiss her lips. Kagome laughed at his grumpy tone trying to hide how shy he felt.

"You make that sound like a bad thing."

"No. I'm a lucky bastard, that's all." Kagome grinned up at him, tugging at his hair to pull him into a kiss. Her hands traveled the muscles in his chest, down to his stomach and again skimmed his hardening member. "Kagome," he rumbled, a faint warning in his tone. If she didn't quit that, he was going to be done for before they even got started. She huffed, but turned her attention to his hands. Slowly, so he could tell she was showing him something, she curled his fingers closed. The heat of her center soon met the backs of his knuckles as she showed him how and where to touch her. It took him several minutes of careful exploration before he found what made her gasp. He bit his lip, the look on her face as he touched her sending lightning to his groin.

Kagome continued to exclusively use body language to direct him, pulling his head down so he could first gently, then more assertively, lick and suckle her breasts. The tips hardening against his tongue was new. He'd brushed them through her kosode or through her bindings before, but never directly and not with the taste of her skin to accompany the sensation. He groaned against her, his body thrumming with barely contained energy as he felt the slickness he had only ever scented start to coat his knuckles.

Kagome seemed to have been waiting for the same thing, one smooth leg hooking over his hip and bringing him closer until he had to brace himself on his elbows, her slick heat meeting his hard cock. He hissed out a breath, slowly initiating the same grinding movement as before they started removing their clothing. She whimpered and sighed, hips rolling up to meet his until he thought he might burst from the tension. "Kagome, I…"

"Yea, me too," she groaned. He let her reach down to catch hold of him. Her dark brown eyes, full of love, caught his amber. "Just go slow at first, alright?" she reminded him. He nodded, anxiety taking a little edge off the heat. The last thing he ever wanted to do was hurt her. Ever so carefully, he let his weight bring him down, her hand guiding him in. The wet heat of her seared his nerves, had him gasping almost immediately. "Oh, kami…"

Kagome knew that this first time could be uncomfortable, but she was feeling less discomfort and more overwhelming emotion. Inuyasha's face as he slid into her was beautiful. Awe, disbelief, love. They all shone in his eyes and she was reminded that this amazing man had never thought he would be here. Never thought he would be loved.

"I love you," she whispered, biting back a wince when he moved too fast. His eyes shuttered and he lowered his forehead to hers. His breathing was harsh until finally, he was as deep as he could go.

"I love you too," he let out in - what he would forever deny was - a sob. Kagome pretended not to feel the tears on her face, simply running her fingers through his hair, caressing his ears and kissing him.

He was unable to move for some time, fear that he would finish too soon if he moved yet keeping him still. Kagome shifted under him, concern in her voice as she asked him if he was alright. How could he be alright?! His entire worldview was crashing down. It wasn't until this moment that he really felt like this was all real. From the time Kagome had returned, part of him had feared that he was still trapped in that between place. He'd never told her about it. How he'd heard and smelled things during that time when he'd been in a coma. He'd been unable to piece much together until later, but he knew now that his brain had been trying to make sense of all the information it was getting with no clear path to connect it all. He'd dreamed of her there, not knowing who she was, but knowing she was so very important. "Inuyasha," she called, bringing him back to the present. "Are… Did you already…" she whispered tentatively, obviously not wanting to hurt his pride.

"No," he croaked out. "No. Didn't want to hurt you." His voice was stronger, but he could tell she knew he was covering. With some trepidation, he began pulling his hips back, delighted when Kagome whimpered that it felt good. Her hands moved to his waist, encouraging his movements. It took some time for them to establish a rhythm, but once they did, Inuyasha swore he was seeing stars.

"Open your eyes, Inuyasha," she gasped below him. He realized he'd been squeezing his eyes so tightly closed that he was seeing bursts of light. "There you go," she murmured, biting her lip when he thrust a little slower but harder. He liked seeing that look on her face. With a small smirk, mind off of his own arousal for a moment, he sought to make her do it again.

Inuyasha was a quick learner. Not that she had thought he wouldn't be, but once he realized he could do the same things to her without their clothes more effectively than with them there? He was amazing. His mouth on her neck as he delved into her with his hips wrought sighs and gasps from her lips. "Kagome, I know you need more. What…"

His shudder told her why he needed to know what to do. She reached between them and let her fingertips brush over her clit, arching slightly into the sensation. As Inuyasha continued to move, so did she. The ball of energized nerves in her lower belly wound tighter, her breathing coming faster, and she felt him still. Her eyes took in the almost confused wonder on his face as he came apart in her arms. The rush of warmth in her heart that he could be so free with her, as well as a more physical rush of warmth, was what did her in. Kagome clung to his shoulders, the pair of them huffing for breath.

Kagome felt a roaring in her ears, tingling starting at the edge of her awareness accompanying the sensation. It seemed to seep into the core of her being, heat making her muscles feel like overdone noodles. "Inu…" He inhaled sharply, nostrils flaring. His golden eyes changed as the heat inside of her became nearly unbearable. Kagome reflexively held her breath, eyes widening in shock. Without her permission, her own aura rose in her defense. Kagome squealed in alarm, trying to push it back down for fear of hurting her beloved hanyou. A sharp snarl left Inuyasha's lips as he too fought down his youki.

Despite their best efforts, their powers were not under their own control. Inuyasha let out a sharp "no!" as his claws dug into his palms to keep from rending her flesh. Kagome's arms instinctively flung around his neck, holding him close. If this was going to be the end of them, then let them die holding one another. Kagome felt like her head might burst from the rushing of blood in her ears and the heat that suffused her being. Kagome tried to tell him again that she loved him, but the words wouldn't leave her lips. Even if they had, she couldn't hear them.

Unbeknownst to Kagome, Inuyasha was experiencing something similar but with the addition of her scent clogging his nose to the point that he felt like he couldn't breathe. Her fear was thick and acrid, burning his olfactory sense with the sharp intensity of it. He could feel the way his blood was burning in his veins, but he was far more worried about Kagome. He wasn't entirely sure what was happening, the sudden surge of his youki and her reiki knocking him for a loop. She was terrified and he couldn't get the breath into his lungs to tell her it would be alright. Especially because he wasn't entirely sure himself.

The roaring ceased so abruptly that Kagome flinched, squeezing Inuyasha to her as tightly as she could. "Kagome," he hissed in her ear. "You're choking me, woman."

It took Kagome several moments to realize that they were alright. The heat and borderline pain in her muscles was more from their previous activity and not from some other force. "Inuyasha?"

"Hm?" he grunted, rolling his shoulders and popping his neck. When he looked down into her worried face, he blinked back at her with amber irises. "Are you alright?" he murmured, running his claws lightly through the hair at her temple. She let out a shaky sigh, looking down at herself to try to see if everything looked normal. "Kagome?"

"I think so. I just… Did you feel that?"

"Yea. Do you think it was… was it your power disappearing?" His ears drooped as he looked her over.

Despite knowing it was a possibility, one she had thought she was prepared for, Kagome swallowed thickly at the weight in her chest. "Maybe," she rasped.

Inuyasha slowly moved to disengage from their coupling, both of them hissing at the friction and lingering sensitivity. Kagome whimpered at the loss of his body heat, biting her lip when he used a washcloth to gently wipe her clean and then himself. They sat in silence for a moment before Inuyasha let out a deep sigh. "Go ahead and try it." Kagome nodded jerkily.

After years of practicing in her time, trying to keep her mind busy, she was able to direct her reiki into her hands on purpose instead of just in response to a threat like with Mistress Centipede. She was shaking, her eyes pinched closed in concentration. The well of energy at the center of her being was nowhere to be found. Usually she could pinpoint it and pull from it like turning on a tap. Kagome couldn't even feel it. "Oh," she whispered.

"Careful with that," Inuyasha yelped, forcing her eyes open when he shifted away from her. His youkai markings had appeared and she could see his fangs had lengthened some. _What…_ She looked down and found that the length of both her arms were glowing pink. "So… not gone."

"N-No. I don't know how that… I couldn't feel it when I…" She took a breath and slowly suppressed it again, watching the glow fade back into her skin. As it did, Inuyasha's markings faded as well. The pair blinked at one another in stunned silence. "Do you think that your youki and my reiki…"

"Linked up? Do you think it works the other way?" She gave a stilted shrug, so startled by this development she wasn't sure how to respond. Inuyasha took a breath, golden eyes closing as he tried to intentionally elevate his youki. Kagome felt the faintest tingle, a hint of what she normally would have sensed when she sought out his aura. Then his markings appeared again, the deep purple streaking across his cheekbones, even at his wrists and hips. When he opened his eyes, the irises had changed to turquoise, the sclera bright red. "Kagome? You're glowing all over."

"And you're full youkai and chatting with me like it's nothing," she shot back.

"Keh. Guess the old bat was right. You did get stronger after being with me," he smirked, his slightly longer fangs on display. Kagome started to protest his disrespectful address of their grandmotherly miko but could only gasp when he dropped his mouth to her breast, fangs carefully scraping the sensitive skin despite his otherwise feral appearance. He hissed as their bodies came in contact and she panicked. She did everything she could to quell her reiki. But it wasn't her power burning him that had elicited the sound, the nudging of his newly returned arousal against hers causing her to moan. "Dun't hurt," he growled, moving up her chest to her neck and nipping her. Kagome arched into him, arms automatically going around his shoulders to keep him close.

Kagome felt the heat from earlier return, but in a much more pleasant way. Inuyasha nipped and sucked her skin wherever he could reach, leaving light marks as he went. His hips continued a slow roll into hers, sighs and grunts of pleasure in his throat. "Inuyasha, I need…"

"I thought you'd never ask," he released in a rush, shifting so he could slip back into her, hips continuing their earlier movement. Kagome gasped, thighs tightening on his waist. He was less gentle, but her body responded even more quickly this time. "Hm, I think you like it a little rougher, huh?" he purred in her ear. It hadn't occurred to her before, but it seemed like he was right. Her body responded immediately, making his thrusting easier. Inuyasha smirked as he caught her lips with his own, tongue mimicking his lower half as he stole her breath. "Kagome," he rumbled. His hand trailed up her thigh and lifted it higher to allow him deeper. She squeaked in surprise before a breath huffed out of her. "That's it," he crooned.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome gripped his upper arms as he drove into her, whispering how good she felt, how he wanted to feel her tighten around him. She couldn't hold back a wail when her body, already tense with heat, snapped taut. Inuyasha snarled as he too went still, pulses of electric energy coursing through his frame. Spent, he struggled not to let his arms collapse entirely, forehead resting against hers. "Inuyasha," she whispered over and over, the salt of tears light in the air. He could tell she was more overwhelmed than anything, no tinge of pain or fear in her scent.

The weakness took him just after he rolled them to the side, keeping from crushing his wife under his weight. "Y'alright?" She nodded against his chin. The inuhanyou tucked her further into his chest, arms around her smaller form to keep her warm and feel her against him. Both of their auras had subsided and he sighed in relief as the scalding sensation in his blood finally died down. "That's going to take some getting used to." Kagome hummed in agreement. He could tell she was getting sleepy and smiled into her hair. "We'll deal with it. Just like everything else." Another hum. "Are you listening, onna?" he chuckled.

"Mm hmm." Inuyasha rolled his eyes but didn't try to nudge her back to wakefulness. Instead he pulled the blanket over them both and nestled himself into their cocoon of warmth and the scent of them together. "Mmm, Yasha?" He rumbled to let her know he heard her. "Don't go anywhere, kay?"

The faintly plaintive tone to her sleepy voice put a lump in his throat for a moment. He swallowed it down, taking a shaky breath. "Never. You're stuck with me, Kagome. Always."


End file.
